Portable bleacher unit



Jan. 25, 1966 v. J. MORFORD ETAL 3,230,907

PORTABLE BLEACHER UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1962 IN VENTORJ.V/L45 J MOP/ 090 ZEWAS fGGE/YBERGEIP ArmP/YEK Jail- 1966 v. J. MORFORDETAL 3,230,907

PORTABLE BLEACHER UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1962 //Y VEN70/?5. V/L 45 J. MOP/"019D [in A5 EGGE/YBE/PGER ATTOlP/Yf).

United States Patent Iowa Filed Aug. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 218,644 1 Claim.(Cl. 1085tl) This invention relates to bleachers for seating purposes,and particularly to portable bleachers.

All of us at one time or anotther have stood in the third or fourth rowof a group of people, or even in the second row but behind a tallerperson, and have been unable to see a demonstration being put on infront of us for our benefit. And while desiring to be comfortably seatedto more clearly see and enjoy the demonstration, we also realize at thesame time that the group sponsoring and putting on the demonstrationcannot afford expensive chairs or permanent or knock-down typebleachers. 7 Furthermore, we appreciate that in many instances, presentfacilities do not lend themselves to chairs or bleachers. In many of ourclassrooms where space is at a premium, premanent bleachers cannot bebuilt, and the knock-down type bleachers are too time consuming to dealwith. We have found, therefore, a definite and compelling need for ableacher which can readily and quickly be brought through a conventionaldoor frame into a classroom, for example, and set up in a matter of evenseconds. And more so, which can be removed from the room asexpeditiously as it was brought in.

It is an object, therefore, of this invention to provide anew and novelportable bleacher.

It is another object of this invention to provide a portable bleachercapable of comfortably seating approximately twenty persons, which canreadily be moved through an existing conventional door frame,positioned,-

used, repositioned, and removed through the door frame, and with achange in position of but one element.

, Another object of this invention is to provide a bleacher unit capableof seating a plurality of persons with a device cooperable with theframe of the bleacher for rendering the bleacher easily portable uponchanging the position thereof.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a portablebleacher employing an elongated leg member when set upon its seatingposition, and which memher is readily removed and repositioned when thebleacher is changed to its transport position, providing a reduction inthe transport width of the bleacher.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a portable bleachercapable of attaining the above mentioned objectives which is economicalto manufacture, easy to service, and effective in operation.

These objects and other features and adavntages of this invention willbecome readily apparent from the following description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of our portable bleacher shown in itsseating position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the portable bleacher ofFIG. 1, certain of the parts shown in clotted lines for illustrativeclarity;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the portable bleacher from the rear andone side thereof, with the bleacher in a tipped position substantiallyhalfway between the seating position and the transport position;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the bleacher in a transportposition, showing it passing through a door frame;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view showing the positionof a leg during transport of the bleacher; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the position of theupper portion of the leg during use thereof in the seating position ofthe bleacher, a portion of the socket therefor broken away for clarityof illustration.

Referring now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of our portablebleacher is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1 and is depicted thereinin its seating position. The bleacher 10 is comprised basically of atrio of transversely spaced, parallel frames 11, 12 and 13 of identicalconstruction, and which frames are interconnected by a plurality ofstraight, flat boards or planks 14 designated more particularlyhereinafter.

As the frames are identical, only one will be described, with likereference numerals indicating like parts. Each frame includes a pair ofelongated tubular members 16 and 17 (FIG. 2) disposed parallel to eachother and in vertical alignment. The common lower ends 18 and 19,respectively, of the members 16 and 17 are secured to and embraced by aU-shaped element 21 (FIG. 2).

The element 21 includes an upper portion 22 disposed substantiallyhorizontal over the upper member end 18, when the bleacher 10 is in theseating position. It further includes a middle vertically upstandingportion 23, and a lower substantially horizontal portion 24 extendedbeneath the lower member end 19. A caster wheel device 26 is mounted onthe underside of the lower portion 24 for aiding the maneuverability ofthe bleacher 19.

Intermediate the tubular members 16 and 17, a pair of L-shaped, angleiron brackets 2'7 and 28 are secured thereto, as best illustrated inFIG. 2. Each bracket 27 and 28 includes a vertical leg 29 and ahorizontal leg 31, both of which are secured, as by welding, at oppositeends to the respective tubular members 16 and 17. Additionally, anotherpair of L-shaped, angle iron brackets 32 and 33 (FIG. 2) are secured tothe upper member 16 and on the upper side thereof. Each bracket 32 and33 has a vertical leg 34 and a horizontal leg 36.

To provide support for persons using the bleacher 10, the planks 14 areprovided as follows. Three planks 3'7, 33 and 39 (FIGS. 1 and 2) aresecured by carriage bolts 41 to the three horizontal legs 22, 36, 36(FIG. 2) of each group of brackets for each frame the planks extend theentire transverse width of the bleacher 19, and provide seat support.Two planks 42 and 43 and secured also by carriage bolts 41, to the twohorizontal legs 31, 31 of each group of intermediate brackets for eachframe, and also extend the entire transverse width of the bleachers 10.

The plank 42 (FIG. 2) serves as a foot rest for the person seated onplank 37, and the plank 43 serves as a foot rest for the person seatedon plank 33. The person seated on plank 39 places his feet upon theground, indicated by the letter G in FIGS. 2 and 4. Referring to FIG. 2,it will readily be seen that planks 37 and 42, and also planks 38 and43, are disposed in parallel planes which extend angularly to the planeof the tubular members 16 and 17, and to the longitudinal axis of eachframe 11, 12 and 13. At the common upper ends 44 and 46 (FIG. 2),respectively, of each pair of members 16 and 17, an elongated angle ironsupport 47 is secured thereto which extends in a plane at right anglesto the longitudinal axis of each frame.

To function as a means for supporting the bleacher 10 in the uprighttransport position of FIG. 4, the support 47 extends laterally beyondeach side of both members 16 and 17. One leg 48 (FIG. 2) of the support47 is contiguous with and disposed parallel to the sides of the members16 and 17, Whereas the other leg 49 is flat 6 against the bottoms of theupper ends 44 and 46. A pair of caster wheels 51 and 52 are secured inspaced relation to opposite ends of the support 47 on the side of leg 49opposite the junction thereof with the member ends 44 and 46.

At the upper end 53 (FIG. 2) of each support 47, a straight section 54-of angle iron is secured at its upper end thereto and is disposedvertically with the lower end 56 secured to the tubular member upper end44. The trio of sections 54 provide a back stop support for a plank 57(FIGS. 1 and 2), which functions as a back rest for a person seated onthe upper plank 37.

For supporting in an elevated position the end 55 (FIG. 2) of each frameopposite the end 69 thereof, supported on the ground G by the casterwheel 26 (FIG. 2), an elongated leg 58 is provided. The leg 58 has acircular foot 59 at one end, and has a stub section 61 (FIGS. 2 and 6)of a smaller diameter at the other end, a shoulder 62 formed thereby;Each frame 11, 12

and 13 includes a tubular socket 63 (FIGS. 2 and 6) secured at its upperend to the junction of the lower tubular member 17 and the support 47.

The socket 63 is supported by a pair of braces 64 and 66 (FIG. 2) whichare secured respectively to the support 47 and the member 17. Eachsocket 63 is provided 7 with a lock bolt 57 (FIG. 6) and a handletherefor for tightening against the leg stub section 61. By thisarrangement, should the bleacher 10 be placed on uneven ground, thethree legs 53 can be individually adjusted as to their respective lengthof extension from the socket 63. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the leg 58 islocked relative to the socket 63 with the shoulder 62 spaced away fromthe end 65 of the socket. Upon loosening the lock bolt 67, the stubsection 61 could be pushed further inwardly of the socket 63 until theshoulder 62 engaged the socket end 68.

It will be noted by referring to FIG. 2, that when the leg 58 of eachframe is inserted in the socket 63 for elev-ating the frame upper end55, the leg 58 is disposed in a plane which extends perpendicular to theparallel planes of the planks 37 and 42, and of the planks 38 and 43.When not in use as illustrated in FIG. 2 each leg 58 is removed from thesocket 63 and supported on its respective frame in a manner bestillustrated in FIG. 5. The foot 59 is rested on the middle section 23 ofthe bracket 21, and the leg proper extends downwardly to a rest positionagainst the under surface of the plank 43 and up against the horizontalleg 31 (hidden from view in FIG. of the bracket 28, the vertical leg 29of which is seen in FIG. 5

To provide later-a1 support on the side of the leg 58 opposite thebracket leg 31, a short section 6? (FIG. 5) of angle iron is secured tothe under surface of the plank 43. It will therefore be appreciated thateach leg 58 may be quickly changed from a storage and transport positionof FIG. 5 to a frame elevating position of FIGS. 1 and 2.

When the bleacher It) is not in use it is supported on the support 47and caster wheels 51 and 52, with the frames upstanding in a verticalposition best shown in FIG. 4. In the particular embodiment illustratedherein, the length of all planks 14 is ten feet, the upper tubularmembers 16 are siX feet in length, and the lower tubular members 17 arefive feet ten inches. The length of each support 47 is two feet fourinches, and each leg 58 has an overall length of approximately two feettwo inches.

The overall height of the bleacher when in the transport and storageposition of FIG. 4 is approximately six feet seven inches. As theaverage dimension of the door frame at most universities and colleges isseven feet in height and three feet in width, it will be readilyappreciated that with the legs 58 removed from their supportingposition, the bleacher 10 can easily pass through 4- these door frames,such as the one depicted at DF in FIG. 4.

When the bleacher 10 has been wheeled to the area where it is needed,the three legs 58 are removed from their transport positions (FIG. 4)and inserted into and locked in their sockets 63. 'Then the bleacher 10is tilted clockwise as viewed in FIG. 3 about the casters 52 and thelegs 58 until the front casters 26 (FIG. 2) engage the ground. Thebleacher 10 is then ready for use, the particular bleacher describedherein being adapted to comfortably support eighteen to twenty-oneadults, depending upon their size.

After the bleacher 10 has served its purpose and it is desirable tostore the bleacher in another area, one method of returning it to itsupright position is to lift the front end eti'of the bleacher upwardlyabout the feet 59 of the legs 58, the latter acting as fulcrums, untilfirst the caster wheels 52 (FIG. 3) and then the caster wheels 51 engagethe ground. When the bleacher 16 is fully supported by the support 47and the caster wheels 51 and 52 therefor, the legs 58 are removed andplaced as best illustrated in FIG. 5. The bleacher can thus be movedback through the door frame DF (FIG. 4) to a place of storage in itsupright position. Another and preferred method of returning the bleacher10 to the upright position for storage is to lift up the rear end 55thereof sufficient to remove the legs 58, then lowering the bleacheruntil the lower ends of the supports 47 engage the ground. The front end60 of the bleacher is then lifted upwardly about the support lower endsuntil all caster wheels 52 and 51 engage the ground'and the bleacher isupright as shown in FIG. 4. V

In summary, we have provided an economical portable bleacher readilystored and movable in a space-saving position, and readily placed in aposition for supporting a plurality of persons, the constructionproviding maximum stability to the bleacher.-

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of ourportable bleacher unit without departing from the real spirit andpurpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by ourclaims, any modified forms ofvstructure or use of mechanical equivalentswhich may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim:

A portable bleacher comprising in combination:

at least a pair of parallel, transversely spaced frames each of whichincludes a pair of parallel, elongated tubular members and a pluralityof brackets certain of which are secured between saidmembers and certainothers are secured to one only of said members on one side only of eachsaid frame, said members and said brackets for one said frame lying inone plane;

a plurality of straight, flat elements secured to said brackets andextended between said frames in at least a pair of parallel planes;

a U-shaped bracket embracing common first ends of eachpair of saidmembers;

a caster wheel device secured to said bracket for engaging the ground;

an elongated support bar secured at its center to common second ends ofeach pair of said members and extended laterally from said second endsat substantially right angles to said members;

a pair of caster wheel devices secured to said support bar for engagingthe ground in a position of said bleacher wherein said former casterwheel device is spaced from the ground; and

a leg member releasably secured to each said support bar for engagingthe ground simultaneously with said former caster wheel device;

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Paquette 52183 Pinheiro.

Patterson 52191 Ross 5210 Mackintosh 529 Curtis 14--72 Mackintosh 529 6Mackintosh 523 Walworth 5210 Fording 5210 Wilson 108-112 Lonn et a1.5210 Lappin et a1. 529

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner.

